Device for dropping bombs from aircraft



vApril 5, 1927.

1,623,893 w. swlATEcKl DEVICE FOR DROPPING BOMBS FROM AIRCRAFTv Filedpct. l1, ,1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figi. 1f

p d' v2 April 5, 1927. 1,623,893

w. swlA'rEcKl DEVICE FOR DROPPING B'OMBS FROM AIRCRAFT Filed Oct- 1141924 2 sheets-sheet 2 F' .0A F' .MIJ f @w19 f2 Lg Q1 1 f I h2 nl I FJ .-L J/J w `I/ /l/ l /I \V x V @Vlr-# Figa. f2 .f1 91 92 ZZ t'/ Dfi \vz/ g/M @ad/a.

AT TUM/E715:

cesses and fingers for the support of the- Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES WLADYSLAW SWIATECKI, 0F LUBLIN, POLAND.

DEVICE FOR DROPPING BOMIBS FROM AIRCRAFT.

Application led October 11, 1924, Serial No.

The invention is concerned with devices of the kind in which the bombs are released by one or more members adapted to be moved in horizontal planes and is more parl ticularly concerned with devices of this nature provided with means for preventing accidental release of the bombs and adapted to release the bombs selectively either singly or in a series in quick succession.

In accordance with one feature of the present invention an improved and simple device of the kind referred to is provided comprising two-co-operating rods yor tubes of suitable section adapted for relative hor izontal movement one of these members having horizontal fingers of unequal length serving to support the bombs and to release them successively upon appropriate relative movement of the members.

Preferably these members are constituted by concentric tubes of which the outer one is formed with a number of holes corresponding with the number of bombs to be accommodated while the inner one is provided with a corresponding number/of rebombs.-

The rods may be moved relatively to one another either by hand or mechanically.A The moving force may be stored in a spring of which the action is -retardedby a retaining lock, in which case the sprmg produces relative movement of the two rods when the lock is open. The number of bombs to fall may be made to depend on the amountof this movement. p

vFurther features of the present mvention will hereinafter appear and are pointed out in the appended claims.

The device is of such simple construction that it can be very conveniently applied to the aircraft; in aeroplanes, for example, the device may be arranged in the wings thereof so that it remains com letelyinvisible pand does not retard the iig t. Si

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one constructional embodiment of the invention applied to the wings of an aeroplane Figure l shows the device in side elevation partly in section;

Figure 2 is a section on the line A-B of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan of the device.

Figsr 4a 4a .5: 5a: 6, 6a: 7: 7a; am s rectlogs Qf 743,052, and in Great Britain July 15, 1924.

the retaining lock in longitudinal section and cross section of the device for explaining the method of operation of the device. A

In yholes provided in the wings of the aeroplane is arranged an outer tube b which on its underside has a number of. holes c', c2 bombs to be droppe. On the upper side of the .tube b is a. longitudinal sloti with which engage pins k k2, k3 secured to 'an' inner tube 7L. This vinner tube L is provided with a suitable number of recesses j in which are arranged fingers vg', g2 for engagement with eyes inbands embracingthe bombs to be dropped. A double flanged disc Z mounted adjacent the end of the tube bears, by means of ball bearings d, against a yoke a and by means of a pin 1:', bearing thereon, it retards the action of a spring m having its inner end secured to the i11- .ner tube It and its other endsecured to anysuitable fixed part. The axially immovable disc l is rotated by means of belt -or rope transmission from a crank wheel n located in vthe cabin of the aircraft. The rotary movements of the disc are limited by a safety device. For this purpose the disc is provided on one of its edges or lflanges with .a recess o (Fig 2) with which engages the tooth t (Fig. 3) of a locking member p rockably mounted on a hinge 1" and constantly pulled by a spring 8 in such' a manner that the tooth t engages with the recess 0.

The locking member p has two teeth t, and q.- So long as the tooth t remains in'.

the recess o the ends of the latter by engagement with the tooth t limit the rotation of the disc Zin both directions to the angle a. If however, the locking member p is moved about its hinge 7' so that the tooth t leaves .q which, even during the largest possible correspondinwith the number of the recess o, the disc can move further in one movement of the locking member, remains in v the recess o.

The disc l is provided with an opening o Figs. 4-7) extending transversely therethrough. Inaddition to this opening vitis provided on one of itssurfaces with a recess :v and on the opposite surface with a recess y. These recesses are not directly opposite but are connected together by an .internal passage uwhich also leads t0 the opening assente e. The openings m, y, a, o are of such 'tion that the pins Za and le? can pass there throughK Y i ,A

lfillien the inner tube ZL has been pushed completely into the outer tube E, the fingers engage with the eyes f f2 oi the e', e2 and the nearest pin c' bears against the disc Z (Figs. a, Ali the bombs e', .ai

are thus suspended. if the crank n in the cabin is rotated the disc Z is turned through the angle whereby the opening :u is brought.; opposite the first pin le whereupon the spring m draws the tube h out of the tube b a distance equal' to the depth-of the. recess m. lThe pin c now strikes against the wall of the passage a (Figs.z 5, a) and at the same time the finger g has been moved somewhat out the eye f of .the band The remaining fingers g2 which' are longer than the finger g', still serve as supports for the eyes of the remaining bands. If by turning back such devices may wmg .cessively withdrawn that when releasing the bombs the crank'n in the cabin the disc Z is caused to V'turn backwards through the angle a and is returned to its original position, the pin k moves along the wall of the passage u and passes out of the disc so that the tube h is pulled out of' the tube b until the pin k strikes against the disc Z (Figs. 6, 6a). in this position the. finger g entirely leaves the eye f ofthe band e and the bomb e falls. The remaining fingers g2 which are longer than g continue to serve as sup-' l ports or the eyes of the bands o2 By oscillating the disc Z through the angle [i in one direction or the other the pinskf 223 successively take uppositions previously taken up by the pin kA whereby the tube ii, is drawn more and more out of the pipe E and the ngers g2 g3 are sucfrom the eyes so that the bombs z2 fall successively.4 if the safety device is moved and the disc is swung from its original position through the angle so that the opening v comes opposite the row of pinsv 165k? (Figs. 7, 7a) then the action of the spring m causes all the pins 7c k2 to pass through this opening, the tube k being drawn as far as possible out of the tube b, all the ngers g',

2 being withdrawn successively from the eyes f' f2 and all the bombs falling successively by a single movement of the disc- Z.

In the form' lof construction illustrated the members b and 7L are ,in the form of tubes. They may however haven-different cross section and may for example be U- shaped.v The arrangement may also be such the inner tube passes into the outer one. A number of A be provided on the same and in this manner the eciency,` of the aircraft may be increased considerably. It' is to be understood thatA the term bomb used throughout the foregoing de-l scription. is to be construed as including any other article as for example a mail bag.

Whatclaim is:-

si bomb dropping device comprising two relatively reciproeally movable rods, a number or" reds for 'supporting bomb carrying eyes, the other of said rods being formed with a eorrespending,number of openings in a row through which said bomb carrying eyes can for engagement with `saidl fingers the Ilatter being withdrawable from said eyes to release the bombs by relative reciprocal movement between said rods, the said rods being tubular and the rod with the fingers being disposed within the other of said rods.

2. two relatively movable rods engaging bomb `supporting' means, ay spring for causing the relative movement between said rods, a plurality of pins on one of said rods and means cooperating with said pins to arrest the movement of the spring actuated rod and gers in row on one of said A bomb dropping device comprisingy permit its advance in stages, whereby a pluy rality of bombs is released successively.

t 3. At bomb dropping device asclaimed in claim 2 wherein t e means for co-operating with the pins on one of the two relatively movable rods comprises a lock having three openings corresponding in shape with the shape of the pins, one of said openings passing right through the lock whilst the other two openings which are not in alignment communicate with opposite ends of a passage connecting all three openings together and extending at right angles nto the direction of relative movement of the rods'. e A bomb dropping device' comprising two relatively movable rods engaging bomb sumgortingg means, means for applying a force to cause such relative movement between the rods, a plurality of pins of one of the rods, a lock for co-opereting with said pins to determine relative movement between said rods said lock having three openings permitting the 'pins to pass, one of said eopenings passing right through the lock whilst the other two openings which are not in alignment communicate with opposite ends of a passage'connecting all three openings together and extending at' right angles to the direction of the relative movement of the 'rods,'and a safety idevice'operating to limit the movement ofthe lock'so that the latter can be set in one or other of two end positions wherein oneor other of two of the openings inthe V'lock can lie in a straightline with the pins in a row on one of said rods, whilst when the safet device 'is releasedV the llockma-y assume -a t ird posi- Ytion in which another' opening extending straight through the lock comes opposite the row ofpins. Y

5. A bomb vdropping vdevice a's claimed in claim' 2 wherein the means co-operatingwith to fall, and that when the lock 1s movedl relative the pins to arrest the movement of the spring actuated rod comprises a lock with an4 opening on each side thereof to permit passage of t-he pins through said lock, said open'- ings being out of alignment but communieating with a passage which connects said openings and extends at right angles to the direction of relative movement of the rods,

and a safety device permitting the said lock to be set in such a position that one of the pins can pass through the first of saidopenings whereupon on moving the lock'to the other limit of the movement permitted bysaid safety device said pin passes along said communicating passage and can then pass right through the lock by Way of said other opening thus releasing one bomb vhlereupon the next pin abuts aga-inst the oc c.

6. A bomb dropping device comprising horizontal relatively slidable rodsa series of bomb 4supporting fingers of diiferen-t lengths upon one' of said rods, the other rod being so formed that relativesliding movement of the rods will release the bombs, means applying aforce to cause said movement, and a lock for normally restraining saidl movement a series of abut-V ments on one of. said rods co-operating with' said lock so that when the lock is in to one position relative movement of the rods causes the bomb supporting fingers to be parti withdrawn,` without permitting any, bomb to another position one of said' ngers '1s Whollly withdrawn permitting a single bombA to fa 7. A bomb ,dropping device comprising two relatlvely horizontally vmovable co-operating rods a plurality of horizontal fingers y,claim 9 of unequal length on oneof said rods serving to support the bombs and to release them successively upon appropriate relative movement of said rods, force to cause such relative movement, and means for restraining such movement -or to permit it at will.

8. A bomb dropping device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the means for restraining or permitting relative movement of said rods comprise a plurality of pins on one of said rods and a lockformed with such passages that by operat-ion of said lock the bombs can be dropped eitherA singly at chosen momentsor in a series in quick succession.

9. A bomb dropping device comprising two relatively lor'izontall movable rods a plurality of horizontal ngers on one of said rods a corresponding number of openings in the other of said rods permitting the bombs to be attached. to` said lingers, a spring to cause relative movement of said rods, a pluralityrof' pins on one of said rods, va lock fixedagainst horizontal movement relative to the other of said rods cooperatingjw'ith said pins to control relative movementof said rods, said lock being mov- -able angularly to bring openings therein in line .with said pins, and means for limiting the angular movement of said lock.

10. bomb dropping device as claimed in wherein the means for limiting the.

angularmovement of the lock can be set in two different conditions one of which permits greater angular movement of the lock than the other.

In testimony vvhereof I have signedimy name to this specification.

WLADYSLAW SWIATECKI.

means exerting al 

